Robert K Howe

US Patent:

7165703, Jan 23, 2007

Filed:

Jan 31, 2003

Appl. No.:

10/356293

Inventors:

Robert H. Howe - Lafayette CA, US

International Classification:

B60R 7/00

US Classification:

224406, 211 601, 211 708, 211194, 211206

Abstract:

A convenient and useful holder for elongated implements, such as fishing rods, baseball bats, golf clubs, or other tools. The holder comprises a series of elongated parallel compartments with a vertical wall between and separating adjacent compartments. The top of each wall has a horizontal ribbed member, so that each wall has a T-shaped cross section. The tops of the walls thus cooperate to provide a platform (with or without slots) that one can step or walk upon or use as a utility surface. The compartments have a flat bottom that extends beyond the ends of the walls. A series of short dividers corresponding to the vertical walls extend up from the bottom, thereby forming spaces for the reels of fishing rods, or heads of gold clubs, etc. The holder may be made of two aligned and separated subholders and can be padded on one end to protect the reels of fishing rods. It is especially suitable for use on a deck of a boat, a dock, the ground, or another platform.

US Patent:

8347561, Jan 8, 2013

Filed:

Jun 13, 2007

Appl. No.:

11/762449

Inventors:

Robert H. Howe - Lafayette CA, US

International Classification:

E04B 7/08
E04H 12/00
F16D 1/00

US Classification:

52 813, 52 811, 52 812, 526551, 52DIG 10, 403169, 403170, 403171, 403176

Abstract:

A domed structure () comprises a plurality of struts () of equal or a reduced number of differing lengths. The struts are held in place by hubs (). In one aspect, a first hub secures the ends of inserted struts at a constant distance from its center, while other hubs secure the ends of inserted struts at predetermined distances from their centers. The differences between the various predetermined distances is the difference in strut lengths required by the design of the structure. Thus all struts are of equal length and identical, or a reduced number of lengths, resulting in an economy of scale and ease of construction. A cover can be added after the structure is built. Alternatively, the hubs can be sewn into a fabric or plastic cover for further ease of construction. The struts can be glued in place, or removed from the hubs to disassemble the structure.

US Patent:

54048966, Apr 11, 1995

Filed:

Jun 21, 1994

Appl. No.:

8/263044

Inventors:

Robert H. Howe - Oakland CA

International Classification:

E04H 1540

US Classification:

135125

Abstract:

An easy-to-assemble tent includes supporting poles (10) and a flexible sheet barrier (12) having D-rings (23) attached thereon along pole paths. When the tent is collapsed, the rings along each pole path are slidably stacked along a robe-shaped ring holder (24), and locked thereon by a locking D-ring (22) positioned on top of the stack. Each pole can be easily positioned into all of the rings along a pole path in one step by inserting it into the ring holder, so that the user will not have to thread the poles into the rings one at a time or have to remember the pole paths. When the poles are inserted into the ring holders, the tent can be erected by unlocking the locking ring, bending the poles, and sliding the rings along the poles into position. The tent can also be collapsed and disassembled by sliding and locking the rings onto the ring holders, and removing the poles therefrom. The poles and the sheet barrier can thus be transported separately by two or more people for sharing the load, and for more compact storage.

US Patent:

48067741, Feb 21, 1989

Filed:

Jun 8, 1987

Appl. No.:

7/060090

Inventors:

Lawrence H. Lin - Alamo CA
Daniel L. Cavan - Woodside CA
Robert B. Howe - San Jose CA

Assignee:

Insystems, Inc. - San Jose CA

International Classification:

G02B 2742

US Classification:

250550

Abstract:

An inspection system (10, 100) employs a Fourier transform lens (34, 120) and an inverse Fourier transform lens (54, 142) positioned along an optic axis (48, 144) to produce from an illuminated area of a patterned specimen wafer (12) a spatial frequency spectrum whose frequency components can be selectively filtered to produce an image pattern of defects in the illuminated area of the wafer. Depending on the optical component configuration of the inspection system, the filtering can be accomplished by a spatial filter of either the transmissive (50) or reflective (102) type. The lenses collect light diffracted by a wafer die (14) aligned with the optic axis and light diffracted by other wafer dies proximately located to such die. The inspection system is useful for inspecting only dies having many redundant circuit patterns. The filtered image strikes the surface of a two-dimensional photodetector array (58) which detects the presence of light corresponding to defects in only the illuminated on-axis wafer die.

US Patent:

51975041, Mar 30, 1993

Filed:

Jul 19, 1991

Appl. No.:

7/732773

Inventors:

Robert Howe - Oakland CA

Assignee:

The North Face - Berkeley CA

International Classification:

E04H 1536

US Classification:

135102

Abstract:

A new and improved dome-type tent with a membrane suspended from a plurality of flexible tent poles. The membrane has a plurality of O-rings distributed about its outer surface in a plurality of paths separated one from the other with one of the flexible poles extending through the O-rings along each path of O-rings and with the pole being securely attached at one of its ends to the membrane in such a manner that the end remains attached to the tent membrane even when the tent is in the unassembled state for storage. The other end of each of the flexible poles is attached to the membrane so that when the tent is assembled and erected, the tent poles will exert a radially outward force on the membrane; however, when the tent is to be disassembled for storage, this other end of each of the flexible poles is detached from the membrane and the O-rings of each path of O-rings are slid along the respective flexible poles towards the end of the pole which remains attached to the membrane during disassembly and storage and the tent poles and membrane, together with the O-rings are folded together in a compact arrangement for storage.

US Patent:

51720000, Dec 15, 1992

Filed:

Nov 2, 1990

Appl. No.:

7/608208

Inventors:

Victor A. Scheff - Alameda CA
Lawrence H. Lin - Alamo CA
Robert B. Howe - San Jose CA

Assignee:

Insystems, Inc. - San Jose CA

International Classification:

G02B 2742

US Classification:

250550

Abstract:

In an imaging system (10) for detecting defects in a specimen (14) having a repetitive pattern (16), a spatial filter (50) receives a spatial frequency spectrum produced by a Fourier transform lens (34) and blocks preselected spatial frequency components thereof. The spatial filter includes an array of substantially parallel opaque stripes (70a-70c) that are positioned on a substantially transparent substrate (72). In one embodiment, the stripes are spaced apart by equal distances (78) and are of increasing widths (76a-76c) that correspond to the orders of diffraction of the Fourier transform pattern (45) produced by the Fourier transform lens. The spatial filter can be used to filter light spots forming a Fourier transform pattern for specimens having repetitive pattern sizes included within a specified range of sizes.

US Patent:

RE339563, Jun 9, 1992

Filed:

Nov 14, 1990

Appl. No.:

7/613208

Inventors:

Lawrence H. Lin - Alamo CA
Daniel L. Cavan - Woodside CA
Robert B. Howe - San Jose CA

Assignee:

Insystems, Inc. - San Jose CA

International Classification:

G02B 2742

US Classification:

250550

Abstract:

An inspection system (10, 100) employs a Fourier transform lens (34, 120) and an inverse Fourier transform lens (54, 142) positioned along an optic axis (48, 144) to produce from an illuminated area of a patterned specimen wafer (12) a spatial frequency spectrum whose frequency components can be selectively filtered to produce an image pattern of defects in the illuminated area of the wafer. Depending on the optical component configuration of the inspection system, the filtering can be accomplished by a spatial filter of either the transmissive (50) or reflective (102) type. The lenses collect light diffracted by a wafer die (14) aligned with the optic axis and light diffracted by other wafer dies proximately located to such die. The inspection system is useful for inspecting only dies having many redundant circuit patterns. The filtered image strikes the surface of a two-dimensional photodetector array (58) which detects the presence of light corresponding to defects in only the illuminated on-axis wafer die.

US Patent:

47972076, Jan 10, 1989

Filed:

Sep 30, 1986

Appl. No.:

6/913356

Inventors:

Ronald E. Honganen - Campbell CA
Robert L. Howe - San Ramon CA
Leslie A. Miller - San Jose CA

Assignee:

Spectra Physics, Inc. - San Jose CA

International Classification:

B01D 1508

US Classification:

2101982

Abstract:

There is disclosed herein an apparatus and method for controlling a dual piston pump for a liquid chromatography system so as to pump a flow of solvent through the liquid chromatography column at a constant flow rate and with a solvent composition which is substantially equal to the desired solvent composition despite changing conditions of compressibility of the solvent. The control system uses a computer which measures the time it takes the pump shaft to move through an overlap region in the pump cycle when both pistons are simultaneously pumping as normalized to the time taken by the pump to move through a constant velocity portion of the piston travel defined by the user. This time is compared to the time stored in the computer for the particular flow rate used to measure the time defined above for the pump to move through the overlap region for an incompressible solvent at low pressure as normalized to the time taken by the input piston to move through the same user defined segment of the constant velocity portion of the travel of the input piston. The ratio of these two times is then used in an algorithm to derive a correction factor for compressibility. This correction factor is then used to control the flow rate and the makeup of the solvent composition to maintain the correct values over changing conditions of solvent compressibility.